In Memoriam: Neal M. Dietz
The Value of Continuity
Continuity – the consistent delivery of services and results without bumps or breaks in the process – is what we at DLC provided through Neal’s transition from active involvement in the business in 2023, through all of 2024, and are maintaining that today. It’s what we aim to deliver long into the future. We love to hear from you. Please get in touch!
In Memoriam: Neal M. Dietz
August 21, 1955 – December 4, 2024
From Ed Lynch:
In the early winter of 1989, I arrived at my office after meeting with Ron, the controller of a technology company 45 minutes down the road, to present a proposal to take over investment advisory responsibilities for the company’s 401(k). Moments later a colleague I did not know well appeared at my office door.
He told me I’d been meeting with a client of his and named the one I’d been to that morning. Fearing a solid new business opportunity might slipping away, I said “Yes,” and waited.
“Well, I have good news and I have bad news,” he said, “which do you want first?”
“I’ll take the good news.”
Neal’s contact at the company was Ron’s boss who had called Neal to ask if he knew anything about me because they were going to hire me as their 401(k)-plan advisor.
“So, what’s the bad news?” I asked.
“You have to split the business with me,” he said and waited, expecting an argument.
“So, what’s the bad news?” I said, “Half of something is better than all of nothing!”
So began a professional and personal relationship that lasted 35 years without contention or conflict rooted profound respect for each other. That respect, appreciation, and yes, affection for Neal is undiminished. The last couple of years of his life were challenging and difficult as he succumbed to the malignancy that relentlessly assaulted and ultimately drove him to a far too early end.
In thinking about how we would memorialize Neal, it occurred to me that offering his adored children, Rachel and Jason, and his lifelong closest friend, Ric Gilbert, an opportunity to share their own tributes to Neal would be the most appropriate thing we could bring to all of you.
Rachel, Jason, and Ric eagerly agreed to offer their tributes to Neal. They’ve shared heartfelt, deeply moving memories and appreciations of the man they knew and loved and will, along with so many of us, greatly miss.
Anyone who knew Neal will agree he was a large personality. His laugh felt like it would knock you over. His loyalty was unsurpassed. His heart was as big as anyone desiring compassion and understanding could want.
But let’s let Rachel, Jason, and Ric speak to us. Please see below to read their beautiful tributes.
From Rachel & Jason Dietz:
Neal Dietz, was a businessman, an entrepreneur, a very chatty Cathy, the life of the party… but, most important, he was our Dad.
For the better part of the past 36 years, we have had the pleasure of watching Dad help grow a company in amazing partnership with Ed. He cared so much about all of you and showed us every day the importance of knowing what you do matters. We’re well-aware it wasn’t always perfect but we also got to see the fun side of it: holiday parties, client dinners, and even a business trip or two. If you’ll stick with us for a few moments we would love to tell you from our point of view what our dad did for “work.”
For as long as we can remember, he would sit at his desk, make some phone calls, spread his infectious laugh around, give some advice, maybe get a little advice, and, if you were lucky, you may have gotten the rundown on what the stock market was doing that week. He always said that he never worked a day in his life and that, if we were lucky, we never would either. He found what he loved and he loved what he did.
After long days of laughing on the phone he would come home to his favorite job: Being our dad! On many, many nights you’d find him sitting in a theater cheering Jason on as he performed in a play or in the stands at countless cheerleading competitions for Rachel. Whatever it was he always supported us but whatever a day brought, it always ended around the dinner table where we were given our own personal business and finance lesson starting when we were way too young to comprehend anything he talked about and lasting all the way through “OK dad, we get it!” Now that we’re adults with our own lives (and Dad’s first granddaughter to boot!) those dinners are coming in handy.
Dad passed away on December 4, 2024. We were with him. Up until the moment he passed he reiterated not only how proud he was of the people he raised us to be, but he reminded us just how loved we were and how we will always be the best job he ever had.
Thank you, Dad, for shaping us into the people we are. Thank you for the incredible life you provided us. We hope to continue to make you proud.
Thank you, Dietz & Lynch Capital clients, for allowing us to be a part of your family. You will never truly know how much happiness and how many LAUGHS you brought our Dad.
Rachel & Jason
From Ric Gilbert
Neal, my dear friend,
You will never know the hole you left in my life now that you are gone. I missed you these last few years, as you drifted away from all of us, the pain and suffering you endured crushing your pride and vanity. You are gone too soon. We will all miss your sense of humor, your generosity and your infectious laugh. The toughness you displayed your whole life, after losing your parents at a young age, finding yourself at various times, fighting for your rights as a single parent and your lifelong devotion to your children, whom you truly and utterly adored more than anyone! You persevered through all that adversity to become a dedicated parent, a role model to your children and a successful businessman.
Our friendship bound two people who had so many common interests. We were like brothers and were roommates for a time who stuck with each other through thick and thin. We were always honest and sincere with each other. We were so much a part of each other’s lives nothing was sacred, and everything was shared.
I will cherish our memories together; first meeting at Synagogue at age 9 and then spent two summers at YMCA camp at ages 11 & 12 in the Adirondacks on Lake George. That second summer right after you had just lost your mother was a very dark time and we were at camp together and grew very close, a closeness and special bond that lasted for almost 60 years.
We loved our music. Our mutual love of music started at camp the Summer of Love, 1967 listening to Hendrix, The Doors, Dylan, Cream and Dionne Warwick. So many concerts together; Stevie, Billy, Steely and T of P to name a few. We had many great music experiences to reflect on and songs I will never be able to hear without thinking of you. I am crying now thinking of our times singing tunes at the top of our lungs in the apartment we shared or in one of our cars.
My wife Deb, who has been in our lives since High School, loved you like a brother too. She feels the loss and the pain as much as I do. You were my bodyguard and became Deb’s too, there was never a concern when “The Duke” was around. We were in each other’s wedding parties, more than once for you, but I was there of course both times. When you were in our wedding party you looked like rock star Peter Frampton with your long curly blonde locks, great memories for sure.
So now we say goodbye and hope that you are at peace with your mother, your father and the many of our mutual friends who, like you, passed on too soon.
With so much love and affection, your friend and brother forever.
Ric (Ricky) Gilbert